Just To Say Hello
by Tabloid
Summary: “What if I said I was just stopping by to say hello, Forgotten?” “No one evah stops by just ta say ‘ello, Snoddy" cries No slash. Snoddy falls for a prostitute, but what can he do, knowing her life? Nice little one shot.


Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies, nor do I own Always a Woman. Billy Joel does, whoot for Billy Joel.  
  
A/N: *cries* Love this song, got inspiration, but AH! No slash! *cries some more* Oh, well, I'll just mention some in there. Whoo. Oh, by the way, this is written during an insomnia attack- as are most of my fics, if not all of them 1:11 in the morning, peoples, woo! ^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^  
  
I shake my head as I walk up behind her, taking in her scantily clad, curvy body, her dark complexion, and her proud way of standing amidst the scornful comments from women, clergymen, and police.  
  
"How the action on this side of the street?" I ask as I come up behind her.  
  
She turns, fire in her eyes. The fire cools, though, as she acknowledges me.  
  
"Hey, Snoddy." She says in her velvety voice, perfected after years of using it to get customers. A suggestive smile creeps across her face- the kind that makes you feel guilty yet invigorated at the same time.  
  
"Interested in anythin'?' she asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"What if I said I was just stopping by to say hello, Forgotten?"  
  
She stepped closer to me, trailing a hand softly down my chest.  
  
"No one evah stops by just ta say 'ello, Snoddy." She whispers huskily, then catches my lips with her own.  
  
/She can kill with a smile  
  
She can wound with her eyes  
  
She can ruin your faith with her casual lies  
  
And she only reveals what she wants you to see  
  
She hides like a child  
  
But she's always a woman to me/  
  
Her kisses leave me breathless. "How much?" I ask after swallowing to regain my composure.  
  
"A dollah."  
  
I feel my eyes widen at the sudden increase in price.  
  
"A dollah, Snoddy." She repeats. "Take it or leave it. I need ta eat, you know."  
  
I hand over the money, taking a second thought but not a third. She grins as she takes the money, pockets it, and kisses me again, pressing her body against mine.  
  
I take her to the Lodging House, and she follows me upstairs to the bunkroom. It's empty except for Swifty and Pie Eater, who are in the back corner, hidden in their own little world. I watch Forgotten as she grins after catching sight of them.  
  
She turns back to me, a mischievous grin on her face. "Well?" she asks.  
  
Suddenly I don't want this anymore. I want someone, I want Forgotten, but not the Forgotten that will leave as soon as this is done, or first thing tomorrow morning, depending on how she's feeling.  
  
I see her frown. "Snoddy?" she asks. Can she be worried? "You alright?"  
  
Well, I'll be damned. If I'm not already.  
  
I don't answer, just pull her close and lift her onto my bunk, climbing up after her. I kiss her holding her against me, wanting to love her and protect her and keep her from people like myself but knowing I never will, I never can and she'd never let me.  
  
The clothes are shed, knowing that Pie and Swifty are too involved in each other to notice us.  
  
I kiss her and hold her, tracing scars and new bruises from customers before me, wishing for more from her than just her body.  
  
/She can lead you to love  
  
She can take you or leave you  
  
She can ask for the truth  
  
But she'll never believe you  
  
And she'll take what you give her as long as it's free  
  
She steals like a thief  
  
But she's always a woman to me/  
  
The next morning she's gone, along with most of Mush's money. Itey lost a pair of boots. Jack lost a pillow. Blink lost a sheet. I lost my heart.  
  
After selling my papes, I go back to the corner that Forgotten usually stands at. She's not there, I grimace as I realize she's probably off with some man.  
  
I stand there for about two hours, until I hear the click of her heels against the cobblestone street. I turn to greet her, and stop cold when I see the bruise on the side of her face and the small cut on her forehead.  
  
"'Gotten, you alright?"  
  
She just laughs. "Ain't I always?"  
  
Her laughter is cut off as I kiss her, pouring passion into that one kiss. "Come with me?" I ask quietly.  
  
She nods, and we leave the corner again.  
  
/Oh-she takes care of herself  
  
She can wait if she wants  
  
She's ahead of her time  
  
Oh-and she never gives out  
  
And she never gives in  
  
She just changes her mind/  
  
The next morning I realize I never paid her. I also realize, more distinctly, that she never asked me to.  
  
None of my money's gone, though I can't say the same about Blink and Racetrack. The guys yell at me about bringing her in here once more, but I tune them out. She was with me last night with no charge, could it be because she wanted to?  
  
I'm fifteen feet above the ground as I float through the morning.  
  
I come crashing back to earth, though, that night when Forgotten walks in with Skittery, and goes to his bed.  
  
I leave, and when I come back three hours later, she's still there under Skittery's blankets and Skittery's arm. Somehow she can seem like an angel and a sinner at the same time.  
  
I go to my bunk and sleep, blocking the images of them together from my head.  
  
The next morning some of my money is gone. And Pie Eater's blanket. And Mush's jacket.  
  
If she had asked me I would have given her my money, my blanket and my jacket.  
  
I go to the corner after selling my papes, and she's standing there, hair blowing in the wind as she bats it out of her face.  
  
"Skittery, huh?"  
  
"Yeah. Why?"  
  
I shrug. "Dunno. Didn't think he'd be your type."  
  
She laughs. "Dey got money, dey're all me type."  
  
She shakes her head sadly at my expression, then chuckles to herself. "Don'tcha realize it, Snoddy? No one cares."  
  
We're both quiet for a couple minutes, then she speaks up again. "Interested in anythin' Snoddy?"  
  
"I don't have any money."  
  
She shrugs. "Den why are ya hangin' around 'ere?'  
  
She turns her attention away from me as a man comes up and offers her a price. She leaves with him, not looking back once.  
  
I give up. I blame myself. I never should have lost my heart.  
  
/She will promise you more  
  
Than the Garden of Eden  
  
Then she'll carelessly cut you  
  
And laugh while you're bleedin'  
  
But she'll bring out the best  
  
And the worst you can be  
  
Blame it all on yourself  
  
Cause she's always a woman to me/  
  
I pass her corner the next morning on the way to the distribution office. I hear her call out my name, but I continue to talk with Bumlets and Dutchy.  
  
"Aren't ya gonna answer?" Dutchy asks me.  
  
"Why should I?" I ask.  
  
Dutchy and Bumlets have no response to this, so they change the subject and we get our papes and leave our separate ways.  
  
For a moment my heart leaps when I catch sight of her on my way back to the Lodging House, but I shove it back down.  
  
"Snoddy."  
  
I ignore her as I walk by.  
  
"Snoddy."  
  
I look straight ahead, looking and walking right through her.  
  
"Snoddy!"  
  
I curse as a shoe hits the back of my head. I rub the spot and turn to look at her. "What the hell was that for?"  
  
"You were ignoring me." She snaps. "I thought you were my friend."  
  
"I thought your only friends were men who had money." I regret my words at the look on her face.  
  
She laughs at herself, putting up a barrier right in between us, wiping the hurt look off her face after a quick moment.  
  
"I'm sorry." I say quietly, looking at my feet.  
  
"Nah, dere's no reason to be sorry. I did say dat, didn' I?"  
  
Before I know it she's kissing me, pressing her body against mine, burying her hands in my hair.  
  
The kiss breaks and I tell her I have no money.  
  
"I don't care. I want you Snoddy. I need you." My heart leaps.  
  
"You can't need me, though." She goes on. "Dere'll be others, and I need ta eat. D'ya undahstand, Snoddy? Ya can't be da only one. An' ya won't be da only one."  
  
It's a crappy deal, but all I can think of is the way she feels in my arms, the way I feel when I touch her. I nod.  
  
"They'll say things about you, Snoddy. Your reputation will be ruined if you go through with this."  
  
"I don't care."  
  
I pull her close again, kissing her lips, her bruised cheek and the slowly healing cut on her forehead.  
  
God, give me strength.  
  
/She is frequently kind  
  
And she's suddenly cruel  
  
She can do as she pleases  
  
She's nobody's fool  
  
But she can't be convicted  
  
She's earned her degree  
  
And the most she will do  
  
Is throw shadows at you  
  
But she's always a woman to me/  
  
^+^+^+^+^+^+^+^  
  
Awww! See Ravy and Jackal! I finally did it! Woo! And in 40 minutes, too, while writing with one eye cause I'm FINALLY getting sleepy after a week! YAY! WOO! And Lute, if you're reading this, ha! I used her finally! Though this isn't really what she was in my head.*looks over story* Oh, well! I wasn't gonna give her to him, but awww he was being adorable! *pets Snoddy* Who can resist an adorable newsie. *sighs* I wish I hadn't given her to him, but I can't take her back now, can I? Vengeful newsies scare me. Maybe I'll rewrite it later and NOT give her to him.  
  
I was mucho happy, though, to throw the shoe at his head. And have her take Pie Eater's blanket, the lucky girl. I wish I had Pie Eater's blanket. Bet it smells good.O.o I am SO out of it.  
  
I gotta use Smalltalk in a ficcie. And Tabloid. Woo for Tabloid! HEHEHEHEHE! I'M! SO! HYYYYYYYYPEEEEEERRRR!!!!!!  
  
Oh, and I love the way that Swifty and Pie Eater slipped into there, woo woo! You go boys!  
  
HAHAHAHAHA! SO! HYPER! I NEED MUCHO RITALIN!!  
  
WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!  
  
Psycho Pie: Shuddup.  
  
No!!!! WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!  
  
Psycho Pie: *ties her up and duct tapes her mouth shut.  
  
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!  
  
Psycho Pie: *sighs in defeat* Oh, well. At least I got Swifty.  
  
I'm a loony. I'm not right in the head.  
  
Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Braveheart. Wheeeeeee.  
  
-Tabloid 


End file.
